Out of the Box
by petitehero
Summary: AU with some consistent character arcs. Dean and Castiel's best bet in escaping Purgatory lies in the aid of the Pandora, a creature who walks between both worlds at her leisure. Once they cross the threshold, however, the Pandora loses control of one of her inmates, leading Team Free Will and her to pick up the pieces before time runs out and Heaven and Hell makes plays on her.


**A/N Hello everyone C: . The first chapter or two will be a little rough as I settle into characterization and lay out some exposition . Please bear with me . All input is appreciated ~ ! I hope you enjoy ^ U ^ .**

It was so very bright where I lived. The walls dripped with lights like silver blood. The air itself felt thick with electricity. It was all a constant balance to the darkness that slept in my belly. That is, except the opening to the cave. I kept it cloaked in shadow , nearly tangible blackness. It mirrored my contents perfectly. More than a metaphor, though, it reminded the other residents of Purgatory who lay territory here. Given, I, on my own, was not the most corrupted, twisted thing out there. But I was very near the most powerful.

What caught my attention was that the artificial darkness around the entrance to my lair was lit with an outline of light. Weak, cautionary light. But light nonetheless. And that meant someone very important was headed my way. Or someone very stupid. I wasn't sure which I preferred. I took on an inferior form, something shaped roughly like a human, except a thousand times more shapely and radiant. Depending on the day, the abundance of light was an inside joke or my salvation.

Voices accompanied the light.

"You sure this is somewhere we should be trespassing, Cas? Everything about this cave screams an episode of Scooby Doo. Or a B-rated slasher film."

"I concede to say this is hardly the safest place for us to tread, Dean. But, to use one of your common phrases, we are 'screwed' either way. And if this goes badly, we will not have long to regret our decision."

"Real comforting. Have you ever considered becoming a personal motivator if we ever get out of here."

"I have not."

If I wanted, they could have never reached where I was. I could have expanded that tunnel forever. I could have led them right off a cliff. I had that power of manipulation here. But instead, I cut their journey short. Whether I deigned to court them or kill them, I wasn't looking for a waiting game.

The moment they emerged from the black, they stood, struck by the myriad of lights. Good thing I leaned on the side of mercy, or at least something more direct. I could have killed them for their hesitation. One was an angel, stripped of his beautiful figure and shoved gracelessly inside a human vessel. That was…interesting. It was a very off day indeed when one of his kind was down here. The other was simply a human. Not very impressive in stature, but there were the lingering fingerprints of Hell and Heaven all over him, right through to his soul. I decided they would be more entertaining alive.

"You must be new here." I let my voice filter in as if from the lights themselves. I kept myself out of sight. I hadn't had the opportunity to make a dramatic entrance in a good long while. Dramatic entrances were wasted on the rest of my prey in Purgatory.

My voice snapped them out of their reverie.

"Who exactly did you say we were looking for again?" The man asked, eyes looking around the empty cavern uneasily.

"I didn't."

"What were you thinking, coming here of your own volition, lost little angel? I see you haven't fallen, but you're stumbling." I said slyly. There were very few reasons anyone would come here voluntarily. Either they bore a message from Heaven or Hell, or they'd despaired of their time in Purgatory and desired an easy out. Maybe the bloody kind.

"Why don't you show your face like a big girl so we can speed this up a little, sister?" The insolence came from the man. No angel would dare speak to me like that.

"Dean, I strongly suggest you shut up now." The angel rebuked him. "This creature is not one to forgive liberally."

"Listen to the angel on your shoulder, little man." I began to take shape, filtering myself into a silhouette of light and colour that did no justice to my true form. "Lucky for you, I'm running out of room to acquire new skulls. Now tell me why you ventured here so I can decide what I'm going to inflict upon you." The man edged away at my resplendence. He was lucky I didn't decide on an intensity that would burn his eyes from their sockets. I was in a giving mood.

"What the _hell _is _that, _Cas?"

"With manners like that, I truly wonder at your survival thus far. I could remedy that, you know." I solidified enough for vaguely human features to register. With a flick of my wrist, 'Dean' was on the ground, writhing in pain.

The angel moved to help him, but I shook an incorporeal finger in his direction. "Do you really think that's the wisest move." I let up. Dean dragged himself to his feet unsteadily. "Object lesson. I could switch your organs around. Choke you on your own tongue. So maybe you should make sure only sugar-coated things are coming my way, dearheart." I turned to the angel. "You might want to start talking now."

"My name is Castiel I am a-former-angel of the garrison."

"Mmm, I've heard. You're the fool who tried to take Daddy's place on the throne." I gave him a Cheshire assessment. "Didn't work out too well for you did it, Castiel? And your human tagalong Girl Scout Cookie must be one of those Winchesters. But enough about you and more about me. What do you think I can do for you?"

"We need to get out of Purgatory."

"And what makes you think I can help you with that? Or, you know, that I would want to?"

"Because you are the Pandora." He didn't answer the second question. Probably because he realized the bleak answer.

"She's the what?" Asked Dean, recovered.

"She is the keeper of Purgatory." Castiel explained laconically.

"And Purgatory is the keeper of me." I said coquettishly.

"You don't mean-you don't mean Pandora's Box? Isn't that kind of sacrilegious?"

"God has a sense of humour." I replied. "Tell me, why should I help you?"

Castiel inclined his head. "Because we are not the monsters you hunt here. There are important duties to fill on earth that only the two of us can fill." I assessed him a moment. There was a lie in there somewhere. I couldn't place it though, since lies seemed unnaturally easy on the lips of this angel. He'd strayed perilously far from the pack. That caught my interest, which boded well for them.

"And what will you give me in return?"

"You know there is nothing I can give you that you can't acquire for yourself."

I smiled, showing fang, an echo of my true form. "I just wanted to hear you admit it." I thought. "I like you, Castiel. Much more than the usual angelbot that swings my way trying to secure my allegiance."

"I will not try to…sway you." Castiel said , predictably straitlaced. "I can't imagine I'm particularly in favour in Heaven right now at any rate."

"Because you can imagine. I'm sure that concerns more than a few of your brothers. Yes. I imagine you're not in Vogue right now at the garrison." I blew out a breath. "So much the better for me. I've had enough of door-to-door angel salesmen to last me. Well. I'd say a lifetime, but that's irrelevant to us, isn't it dearheart?"

"So how is this going to work?" Dean spoke up, looking between us warily, clearly displeased.

"You can do something for me, in fact. I will take you to the surface. And you will take me to the nearest hospital where we emerge."

"A hospital? Why?" Dean looked between Castiel and I.

"Are you really going to question your one prevailing hope of escaping this place? No wonder you ended up as vesselspawn and houndbait. Can't help keeping your fingers in every pie, can you, Dean Winchester?" I grinned. "I like that audacity. Going to the surface will take a lot of effort on my part. It's part of my make-up. I can handle the transition on my own, but if I have the opportunity to spare myself the trouble of exerting unnecessary energy in infiltrating the hospital and guarding my back, I'll take it."

"If you can just slip in and out of Purgatory whenever you want, why are you here at all?"

"Crash course in the duty of the Pandora. It is within my power and obligation to both devastate the world and cleanse it of what I hold within me." I said absently. "You've both done your part in screwing over the world recently, and with a handful of impending apocalypses in the past few decades, I'd deigned to tap out of the game for the time being."

"Are you saying if you come with us, that will change? I'm not signing up to be a part of that, Cas."

"I'm afraid we can't avoid that if that's what the Pandora plans, Dean. It's beyond our control."

"I _am _fond of you two. A classically overstepping human and an angel that recognizes his place. This should be fun. Give me a second to slip into something more comfortable." I settled into a solid form, something much closer to my true form. I was humanoid, with six grey wings and sharply manicured nails. It was still a stick figure compared to a comprehensive portrait, but a lady's got secrets to keep and while the angel could endure my presence, Dean was probably partial to his eyesight. "Do we have a deal, Castiel, former son of the garrison?"

I offered my hand, and he came forward to take it. I felt my eyes change colour, from human hazel to an all-encompassing silver. I stole his face with a hand and we sealed the deal with a kiss. Being a creature of Purgatory, I borrowed aspects of the demons as well. I released him, smiling up into his straight face.

"Let's go raise hell."


End file.
